Iron Maiden’s Original Frontman Dead at 69 After Heartbreaking Health Battle originally appeared on Parade.
Paul Mario Day, Iron Maiden’s original lead singer, has died at age 69 following a reported battle with cancer. The heavy metal vocalist passed away peacefully at his home in Australia on Tuesday, July 29.
Day made rock history when he became Iron Maiden’s first vocalist in December 1975 at just 19 years old.
Though his time with the legendary band was brief, lasting less than a year until October 1976 when he was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, Day’s contribution to the early formation of one of metal’s most influential acts cannot be understated.
He performed at Iron Maiden’s very first concert on May 1, 1976, at St. Nicholas Hall in Poplar, London — an event that marked the birth of a legendary band.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the great More vocalist Paul Mario Day,” his former band More wrote in a Facebook statement. “Paul was a huge part of the NWOBHM from his time in an early version of Iron Maiden, and of course his fantastic performance on the ‘Warhead’ album.”
Following his departure from Iron Maiden, Day continued to make his mark on the British heavy metal scene. In 1980, he formed the band More, which released their debut album Warhead in 1981.
“He was a well-loved figure in British rock music and played many memorable shows, not least the legendary 1981 Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington with AC/DC, Whitesnake/David Coverdale, as well as tours with Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and many other legendary artists,” More added.
Day’s career trajectory took him through several notable bands that defined the era. After leaving More before their second album, he briefly fronted Wildfire from 1983 to 1984.
His most commercially successful period came in 1985 when he joined the reformed version of glam rock legends Sweet, working alongside guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker.
Sweet’s guitarist also confirmed the tragic news, writing, “Paul Mario Day RIP … PMD was the original singer with IRON MAIDEN and had a stint with the band MORE before joining SWEET. He passed away peacefully at his home in Australia.”
Iron Maiden’s Original Frontman Dead at 69 After Heartbreaking Health Battle first appeared on Parade on Jul 29, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
